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Mercedes Ruiz
Mercedes Ruiz was a Dragoon loyal to the Alpha Clan, mostly known for her time in Damascus Squad and as a member of Crow Squad in the Recon Division. Early Life Ruiz was born and raised in the Southern Reach in a small town off the southern coast. Her father, Daniel, remained on active duty for most of her childhood. Her mother, Miguel, stayed at home and raised her while she attended the Academy. Mercedes was a quiet, kind child. This would change when she was ten years old. With Alpha Clan planning to wipe out the Beta Clan, Miguela temporarily placed Mercedes in the Agoge so she could join her husband on active duty. Unfortunately, both Daniel and Miguela would be killed during the ensuing conflict. With no other family to take her in, she remained in the Agoge permanently. With the sudden loss of her parents, the child's demeanor changed immensely. She became aggressive and crass. Despite that, many instructors saw combat potential early on. Alpha Clan Service Upon graduating from the Academy, she was one of many volatile cadets that were chosen to be shipped north to Shah to fill in the vacancies caused by the Shah Campaign. Damascus Squad Arriving in Shah, Ruiz was added to Damascus Squad of Moth Company, 33rd Battalion. She was surprised to see that the Clan also moved Zeyn Liao, a Dragoon she knew from the Agoge, into the Shah province. While she knew she would thrive in Shah, Zeyn had always been quiet and there was nothing outstanding about him. Ruiz took to the squad's leader, Khan, right away. He was confident, strong, and very violent, traits that someone like Ruiz respected and idolized. As time passed, Ruiz found herself almost enjoying the adrenaline rush of combat. Under Khan's leadership she thrived, and he believed that one day she would be a strong leader. Upon hearing that, her confidence soared and she became even more aggressive on the battlefield. The two fed off of each other's energy on the battlefield which led to them having a lustful affair behind closed doors, despite the fact that Khan was known to employ local prostitutes whenever he could. Despite Connolly being the next in line for succession, Ruiz easily became Khan's favorite colt. After a few years, the affair would abruptly end. While in a forward camp, she was woken up by the sound of Connolly yelling. She, along with the rest of the company, woke up to find Connolly chasing a prostitute away from Khan's quarters. By the time Ruiz and the rest of the company armed up, Connolly disappeared into the woods. Ruiz found Khan in his quarters with his throat slit. Connolly's head was later found on a spike. Despite her affair with Khan, she set aside any emotional attachment because she knew she would be the next pick to be squad leader. Instead, the battalion transferred in Sergeant Vin Merlin to fill the vacancy, along with Colt Rayme Lugering to fill the squad. She was initially angry and bitter for being overlooked, but Liao and Sumpter managed to convince her to give him a chance. Over the next year, Merlin proved himself to be quite an incompetent leader. Despite being very strategic and patient, he was also naive and didn't understand the situation in the Shah Province. The squad all began to question his leadership, especially when his decision-making led to the deaths of Sumpter and Lugering. Without a beat Merlin had Michael Cox, a friend of his from Founder's Mesa, immediately transferred in to occupy one of the vacant slots, showing no regard for the loss of Sumpter or Lugering. Around this time Ruiz began to bond with Liao, as the two both recognized that Merlin was not a competent leader for the squad. Around this time, Ruiz began secretly figuring out ways to kill Merlin and take control of the squad. She managed to start a secret affair with the company's hauptmann, Jessen, in order to sway his favor when the time came to pick a new squad leader. Despite her efforts, however, she could never find an opening to kill Merlin. After a few months passed, she found her opening: Merlin informed the squad that they would soon be receiving one more colt to fill the final vacancy. The day before the replacement would arrive, Merlin tells the squad the location of the LZ and what to expect. Ruiz secretly leaks the information to local insurgents. Upon meeting the thopter at the LZ, Ruiz volunteers herself and Liao to secure the perimeter while Merlin and Cox greet the new recruit. As she had hoped, insurgents in the area ambushed the LZ, killing Merlin and Cox almost instantly. Ruiz took charge, and she and Liao managed to prevent anymore death. Liao then met the new recruit, Colt Kirkland, and a surprise new recruit that joined him, Colt Bryant. Ruiz, using her relationship with Hauptmann Jessen, was promoted to sergeant and made the new squad leader. The squad, already with a reputation of employing brutal tactics, became exponentially brutal under Ruiz's leadership. During their affair, Khan had told Ruiz stories of the squad's first squad leader, Tartan, and Ruiz began to idolize her through the stories. Ruiz aspired to be just as respected and feared as both Tartan and Khan, so she led the squad without fear and without remorse. While Liao and Kirkland embraced the brutality of the new leader, Bryant always seemed to be hesitant. Lawrence Radburn, the newest recruit to the squad, also embraced Ruiz's aggressive nature. The squad's brutality started to attract attention from insurgents, and the company was often ambushed in hopes of taking the squad out. Jessen instructed Ruiz on several occasions to tone it down. She ignored these orders, however, knowing she would face no consequences because of their affair. Ruiz led Damascus Squad when Moth Company and Stripe Company were ambushed during the Battle of Jackal Ridge. When the battle started, she was in Jessen's quarters engaging in their affair. Having no time to put on her armor, she simply grabbed her rifle and joined the fight. She survived the night despite never donning her armor, earning her a reputation throughout the clan. After the battle, Field Marshall McQuade visited the battalion. After hearing about Ruiz's stunt with no armor, he decided to transfer her and Kirkland back to Founder's Mesa to be a part of the newly established Recon Division. Recon Division Ruiz and the other candidates for the Recon division were all called back to Founder's Mesa for an accelerated training session for the new division. Instead of the traditional squad and company formation, the new division would take a different take. Although on paper the Alpha Dragoons would still belong to a five-member squad within a company, but in practice the Dragoons would go out into the field wither solo or with a single partner. After completing the training, Ruiz joined Kirkland and Talia Hellion in Crow Squad. They were shipped to the Northern Reach and assigned to be supervised by Hauptmann Konstantine Curze. Ruiz went off on several solo excursions into the wild land of the Northern Reach. On some occasions she would assist corporations, on other occasions she would help supply aid to local villages. Her most significant assignment came when reports surfaced of mutants attacking and pillaging villages further north. With Kirkland busy on his own assignment, she set off on her own to investigate. Although she is met with skepticism from the locals, she gathers all the intelligence she can before heading out into the wilderness to see what she can find. After a rather intense stand off with a team of freelancers led by Markus Watkins and Decker, she discovers that they are investigating the same thing. They temporarily work together to see what they can find. In the end, they discover an incredibly large concentration of Durin. Before she can contact Talia or Curze, the Durin attack them. Covering their retreat, Ruiz manages to slaughter dozens of Durin before realizing even she won't be able to hold them off. She joins the retreat, with the Durin nipping at their heels. Ruiz manages to call in multiple airstrikes, and eventually the Durin cease their pursuit. With half of the freelancers dead, Ruiz expresses her condolences to Watkins and Decker before heading back to her headquarters. She files a report to Hauptmann Grammar (who replaced Curze when Curze was transferred out) about the Durin activity, but he brushes it off. He tells her the invasion of Roommenor is imminent and that there are more pressing concerns. Soon after, Crow Squad is recalled to Founder's Mesa. Invasion of Roommenor With final preparations in place, the Alpha Clan initiates their invasion of Roommenor. Ruiz, with Crow Squad, were among the first boots on the ground. Ruiz and the squad supported ground troops from the shadows: Sabotaging enemy communications and defense systems, providing intelligence, etc. After the Invasion Line is formed, Crow Squad was assigned to support the Queen's Guard in battle.